om from the boudoir.

CHAPTER XXIV

In agreeing to the dangerous scheme, Lamberti had yielded to an impulse
founded upon his intuitive knowledge of women, and not at all upon his
inborn love of anything in which there was risk. The danger was for
Cecilia, not for himself, in any case; and it was real, for, if it
should ever be known that she had gone to Guido's rooms, nothing but her
marriage with him would silence the gossips. Society cannot be blamed
for drawing a line somewhere, considering how very far back it sets the
limit.

Lamberti, without reasoning about it, knew that no woman ever does well
what she does not like doing. If he persisted in making Cecilia attempt
to break gradually with Guido, she would soon make mistakes and spoil
everything. That was his conviction. She felt, at present, that if she
could see Guido face to face, she could persuade him to give her up; and
the probability was that she would succeed, or else that she would be
moved by real pity for him and thus become genuinely ready to follow
Lamberti's original advice. The sensible course to follow was,
therefore, to help her in the direction she had chosen.

Early in the morning Lamberti was at his friend's bedside. Guido was
much better now, and there was no risk in taking him to his sitting
room. Lamberti suggested this before saying anything else, and the
doctor came soon afterwards and approved of it. By ten o'clock Guido was
comfortably installed in a long cane chair, amongst his engravings and
pictures, very pale and thin, but cheerful and expectant. As he had no
fever, and was quite calm, Lamberti told him frankly that Cecilia had
something to say to him which no one could say for her, and was coming
herself. He was amazed and delighted at first, and then was angry with
Lamberti for allowing her to come; but, as the latter explained in
detail how her visit was to be managed, his fears subsided, and he
looked at his watch with growing impatience. His man had been sitting up
with him at night since his illness had begun, and was easily persuaded
to go to bed for the day. The other servant, who cooked what Guido
needed, had prepared everything for the day, and had gone out. He always
came back a little after twelve o'clock. At twenty minutes to eleven
Lamberti took the key of the door and went to watch for Cecilia's
coming, and half an hour later he admitted her to the sitting room, shut
the door